CITROËN C3 - THE NEW CITROËN OFFENSIVE
09/29/2016
Citroen
Citroën is today unveiling The New Citroën C3, the latest take on a best-seller that has sold more than 3.5 million units since 2002. With its distinctive design and colourful personality, it's brimming over with an exuberant freshness and optimism that will rock the market. Its unique morphology and original graphic features express energy and confidence. Audacious by design and extensively customizable, leaving full scope for individual expression. The interior is carefully thought out to make driver and passengers feel comfortable, to make each journey a pleasurable experience. And the car is fitted out with the very latest technologies, including a world première appearance for Citroën ConnectedCam(TM), an on-board HD camera that lets you share your road-trip photos and videos directly.
With the arrival of New C3 there's a wind of change blowing through the motoring scene. The versatile little hatchback sets a style of its own, standing out from the crowd with its perky, colourful, appealing personality. New Citroën C3 offers a delightfully offbeat take on in-car living.
"The new C3 has all the Citroën brand markers and all the qualities to give the brand new impetus. A major challenge for our best-seller, which accounts for almost one sale in five in Europe for Citroën. A comfortable car with real personality, it is set to appeal to new customers looking for a modern car of character." Linda Jackson, Citroën Brand CEO
The New C3 embodies the core values of Citroën:
« OPTIMISTIC » New C3 is audacious by design, with a strikingly unique morphology whose keynote features are a high-standing, charismatic front end and generous curves, producing a powerful, energetic posture. The slick, smooth outline, graphic signature and cool colours make New C3 an undeniable trend-setter. And the car's strong personality readily accommodates extensive customization capabilities, designed with a global approach, for coherence and value enhancement. This is an affordable mid-range model addressing a broad sector of the population with the promise of a singular car that can match individual tastes and aspirations. For the two-tone exterior, there's a choice of three roof colours, plus colour choices for the foglamps, wing mirrors, rear C pillar graphic and Airbumps(R). Inside, customers can choose between four different mood packs addressing three different motoring outlooks. As soon as you step in, the interior feels remarkably spacious, a sensation enhanced by the upholstery and uncluttered horizontal dashboard.
« HUMAN » New C3 exudes an unmistakable impression of well-being. The design was guided throughout by the Citroën Advanced Comfort(R) programme, which charts an up-to-the-minute approach to Citroën's time-honoured supremacy in motoring comfort. The sensation of superlative comfort starts with the seats, visually as well as physically comfortable, the panoramic sunroof that floods the passenger compartment in light, the ingenious stowage features, and the generous space allocations. These first impressions are confirmed by the colours and materials, which draw overt inspiration from the worlds of furniture and travel, consistent with New C3's aim to make people feel literally at home when travelling by car. The deliberately designed cocoon effect filters out disturbances from the outside world, and offers ergonomic usage with all functions accessible from the 7" screen, plus hands-free ignition. Equipped with 5 doors, the new C3 is practical while remaining compact with its length contained to 3,99m.
« SMART » New C3 brings up-to-the-minutes technologies, starting with the world première of Citroën ConnectedCam(TM), a fully integrated and connected HD camera system that films your on-the-road experience for immediate sharing on the social network or for subsequent viewing (or as evidence in the event of an incident, for example). Advanced driver assistance systems include: 3D connected navigation with speech recognition, reversing camera, lane departure alert, and blind spot monitoring. The efficiency of New C3 also extends to a full range of high-performance, high-efficiency engines (PureTech petrol, BlueHDi diesel) and the EAT6 latest-generation automatic transmission.
"With its unique body style, personalised features and connectivity, the new C3 is a bold, fresh, modern car. It illustrates the ongoing Citroën product offensive!"
Xavier Peugeot, Citroën Brand Product Director
01 «OPTIMISTIC» : AUDACIOUS BY DESIGN
1. Distinctively offbeat
There's nothing like The New C3 on the road today, in terms of audacious design and charisma. Its offbeat attitude bristles with freshness end energy, backed by rugged strength. It shuns the usual stereotypes of its segment to prefer a highly individual and instantly recognizable outline of its own, lending a distinctively dynamic slant to the curves that endeared its predecessor to such a wide audience.
In volumes and proportions it takes on a unique morphology, in true Citroën style. The high-standing front end is strong and compelling, giving a powerful impression of robustness with a horizontally balanced outline right through from the waist. The resulting vehicle posture looks natural and steady. The fluid curves and muscular flanks lend vigour and power. The pure, wholesome, unaggressive appearance is highlighted by potent graphic features. New C3 is different. It's energetic and modern, yet calm and reassuring.
With Citroën's characteristic two-tier front light signature, the car seems to looks upward, enhancing the impression of bonnet height. The double chrome bar underlining the chevrons runs right through to the LED daytime running lamps, enhancing the impression of width. The round headlamps express a strong technological content. The protective bumper below is in the body colour, again to enhance the sense of height and lend a go-anywhere spirit. The foglamps feature colour surrounds for a touch of sparkle.
Looking at the side, the first detail you notice is the floating roof held by the black windscreen pillars, and the taut roof curves accentuating the dynamic outline. The car's protective function shows through clearly in the balanced proportion between body panels and glazed surfaces. The horizontal belt line continues the deliberately high bonnet line, producing a steady, stable, reassuring posture. Body surfaces are fluid and unaggressive, extending down over the wheels, which have the largest diameter of any car in this segment (640 mm), another strong character feature. The large wheels also contribute to vehicle comfort, making for a high flank (even with 17" wheels) and filling the arches, which can be fitted with extensions for a crossover appearance. At the rear, the generously sized, muscular wings give the car a dynamic appearance, an impression accentuated by the very short overhangs.
The Airbump(R) panels (air-filled bumps with a scratch-proof surface as seen on Cactus) are a Citroën signature feature, giving personality and style, as well as protecting the vehicle. The aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethane material used in the Airbump(R) panels gives excellent resistance to everyday aggression, from sunlight, water, ageing, scratches, etc. Each comprises six air-filled bumps at the door bottom, an especially vulnerable area of the car in an urban environment. The Airbump(R) panels have a white or red graphic, depending on the version.
The rear of the vehicle emphasizes width, with smooth surfaces providing an ideal backdrop for the 3D rear lamps, which lend a unique, high-tech identity to New C3. The lower protection affords good everyday protection. The C3 badge is different to that sported by the previous model: the figure 3 appears in black with a chrome surround, recalling the gloss black chevrons with chrome surround used by Citroën models since C4 Cactus.
In tune with its times, all-round attention has been given to aerodynamics on C3. The roof is 4 cm lower than on the previous model. And all surfaces are optimized allowing a clean a controlled airflow.
2. Spacious interior designed as a living area
The New C3 interior is designed to feel like an extension to the driver's home, a place it feels good to be in. It's welcoming, contemporary, intuitive and superbly comfortable. It's safe and peaceful. The Citroën designers drew inspiration from non-automotive worlds (architecture, furniture, decoration, etc.) to define its volumes and materials. It's also an incitement to escapade, expressed through detailed features such as the trunk straps on the doors, another little offbeat signature of the Citroën range.
The basic interior design principles taken up in New C3 are uncluttered space, consistency, full and soft shapes. The perception of space is immediately suggested by a horizontal layout, and especially by the horizontal dashboard, which runs right across the whole vehicles width. The uncluttered, monolithic dashboard immediately clarifies the simplicity-oriented design approach to the passenger compartment as a whole. Technological content is prominent, in the form of the 7" touchscreen that appears suspended in the centre. The chrome-surround air vents at either side of the dashboard again enhance the impression of width.
The dashboard design features a broad crosswise trim that lends a sense of both width and character. The customer has a choice of finishes for this feature, which makes a strong statement on design quality. It can be painted, wrap with textile or TEP lining, with or without over-stitching, and a chrome or colour surround. It matches the seat material.
The seats, key items in on-board wellbeing, have a unique design, wide and generous. Again we see the pervasive emphasis on width, a crosswise prominence amplifying the impression of space and expressing the virtues of comfort. The impression of comfort is further stated in the choice of bright, warm materials having a deliberately non-automotive look and feel. There is a very strong sense of overall stylistic coherence throughout.
3. Extensive customization capability, unique for a mid-range model
Customization is an increasingly widespread social phenomenon, in response to people's wish to express their own personal style choices. New C3 is the first mid-range model to offer an extensive and coherent customization capability, which goes further than add-on colour choices to ensure a quality, harmonious end result consistent with both personality and value. Customization covers both exterior and interior. Exterior appearance choices range from pop to classic, from sportslike to trendy. And the interior mood can emphasize warmth and cosiness, or dynamism and technology.
Freedom of expression, to create a car matched to the driver's personality, starts with the two-tone vehicle exterior colour scheme. There's a choice of nine body colours (Banquise White, Perla Nera Black, Shark Grey, Aluminium Grey, Ruby Red, Almond Green, Cobalt Blue, Power Orange and Sand) and three roof colours (Opal White, Onyx Black, Aden Red), which make for 36 possible combinations in all. So customers might like to brighten up a classic body colour with a colourful roof, or moderate a perky body colour with a more sober roof. Breadth of choice is an important factor contributing to the fresh, modern stance taken by New C3.
Colour choice goes beyond the body alone, with various features taking on the roof colour to produce both character and good overall consistency. The roof colour is found in the foglamp trims at the front, the Airbump(R) surrounds at the side, the wing mirror shells and the rear C pillar graphic.
Interior customization takes the form of a choice of four possible moods, each expressed in upholstery material, matched to the dashboard trim, and various colour and harmony features. There's something for everybody.
The standard mood is uncluttered and neutral, with yellow over-stitched upholstery.
The Metropolitan Grey mood puts the emphasis on warmth and brightness, with soft colours and textiles, on the dashboard trim as well as the seat upholstery.
The Urban Red mood combines dark and bright colours to produce a dynamic feel. The lined dashboard trim features red over-stitching and has a red surround over the whole width.
The Hype Colorado mood uses soft upmarket materials and special upholstery, with a colour contrast effect and width-wise signature, harmonizing with a two-tone leather-covered steering wheel.
02. «HUMAN» : ON-BOARD WELLBEING
Design of New C3 was driven throughout by the Citroën Advanced Comfort(R) programme - global, contemporary, coherent comfort. This innovative programme seeks to offer driver and passengers the unique experience of feeling genuinely at home in their cars.
1. An overriding design emphasis on driver and passenger wellbeing
The sensation of wellbeing starts with the comfortable seats, the panoramic sunroof that floods the passenger compartment in light, the large stowage features, and the generous space allocations. These first impressions are confirmed by the colours and materials, which draw overt inspiration from the worlds of furniture and travel.
The emphasis on wellbeing pervades the interior mood, produced by meticulous attention to colours, volumes, materials and light. Shapes are full and soft, there is no clutter, and there's a strong width-wise design orientation to enhance the impression of space. Overall harmony is also expressed in the stylistic coherence between doors, seats and dashboard, with the same soft, bright textile affording visual continuity and sense of quality. The harmonious interior is eminently cheerful and optimistic. It's practical yet offbeat. It's everything but dull. New C3 innovates by inviting driver and passengers to feel genuinely at home.
The interior is spacious, the most spacious in this vehicle category. The visual impression of width, in the dashboard and seat design, is confirmed by the actual shoulder width of 1379 mm (2 cm more than on the previous model). And legroom for rear-seat passengers is top-level too. The line of the front seats and the shape of the seat back uppers gives optimum visibility, bringing the rear-seat passengers nearer the front for a friendlier in-car atmosphere, bright and homely thanks to the panoramic sunroof.
Great attention was given to the New C3 seats, which appear sculpted in a modern style to suggest generous width and comfort. Seat bottom and back dimensions give an immediate impression of space. The line of the seats is engaging, inspired by furniture design to suggest relaxation and extend an invitation to pleasurable travel.
The seats use quality exterior materials and supple interior foams to give excellent lumbar support and approach comfort. So comfort involves a two-stage process: soft and welcoming when the passenger takes the seat but firm and reassuring thereafter. The supple seat foams have another purpose, namely to filter out the untoward effect of irregular road surfaces. This is another important factor contributing to the overall sense of in-car comfort.
Particularly agile thanks to its 10.7m turning diameter of radius, the new C3 measures 3,99m and offers compactness in town. It has 5 doors and 5 places making it practical in all circumstances.
2. Advanced ergonomics for a smooth driving experience
For true homely comfort, the car also has to offer a hassle-free user experience, with fluid, intuitive access to vehicle functions. Under the Citroën Advanced Comfort(R) programme, New Citroën C3 was designed with ergonomics uppermost in mind, as seen in the numerous ingenious stowage features, the clearly staged presentation of driver information, and a wealth of intuitive technologies for making life easier.
New C3 promises great everyday practicality. Designers paid special attention to stowage facilities, designed for optimum functionality without compromising interior harmony. There's an ingenious central cubby, designed to keep maximum free space at the front of the vehicle. And the glove box is the largest in this vehicle segment. The front doors have capacious and ingenious cubbies, in a light colour to contrast with what's in them, making things easier to find. And the New C3 boot volume approaches 300 litres, which cuts down on the often difficult task of deciding what to take and what not to take.
A smooth driving experience also calls for an intuitive, interactive and responsive interface, which New C3 offers through its 7" touchscreen tablet, acting as the vehicle control centre. This provides modern, intuitive access to all vehicle functions, and makes for a superbly uncluttered dashboard. The tablet uses capacitive screen technology, for optimum response. And the groove at the bottom acts as a handrest, for optimally comfortable usability.
Convenience continues with the car's hands-free access and ignition system, which means you can lock/unlock and start the car without even needing to take the key out of your pocket. The car recognizes its driver as you approach.
03 «SMART» : UP-TO-THE-MINUTE TECHNOLOGIES
1. Citroën ConnectedCam(TM)
The Citroën ConnectedCam(TM) system is a practical, convenient and friendly Citroën-made technology making its first worldwide appearance on New C3. It's a connected camera (wide 120° angle, full HD, 2 million pixels) with GPS and a 16 GB internal memory, fitted just behind the rear-view mirror, from where it records what the driver sees through the windscreen, logging the driving experience for two main purposes:
The driver can click to safely take photos (scenery, sunsets, whatever), for keeping or sharing on the social networks immediately, or keep the button pressed to shoot films up to 20 seconds long for sharing once the car is stationary. Stored content is directly accessible for keeping or sharing via the free application Citroën ConnectedCamTM.
In the event of vehicle impact, the system switches on automatically to record and save. The video can run for up to 1½ minutes (30 seconds before and 60 after). This footage can be useful as evidence following an incident
With the Citroën ConnectedCam application you can also geolocate your vehicle and store the position so that you can find it easily.
2. A wealth of useful technologies
The PSA Group A platform was optimized for this new model, bringing an excellent footprint/space ratio, an appealing morphology, and superb comfort and efficiency. For comfort, an advanced suspension system was used, based on a proven axle system architecture (pseudo Macpherson with deformable strut). This very effectively filters out road surface irregularities, letting the body "breathe" through minor vertical motion, a typically Citroën suspension signature. Soundproofing is as good as it gets, as is safety, with features such as the new "H" crossbar under the seats, for the best possible impact withstand.
New C3 comes with a choice of latest-generation highly efficient and fuel-economical PureTech petrol and BlueHDi diesel engines. There's a choice of three PureTech three-cylinder petrol engines, with manual transmission: PureTech 68, 82 and 110 (Stop & Start). And there are two manual diesel powertrains: BlueHDi 75 (Stop & Start) and 100 (Stop & Start). For the ultimate in driveability and comfort, New C3 will shortly be coming in an EAT6 automatic version too.
New C3 comes with a vast array of useful assistance, safety and comfort technologies making life on board easier and enhancing the driving experience:
Technologies for assistance:
CITROËN Connect Nav on 7" Touch Drive interface is a new-generation connected touch-operated satnav system controlled by voice or from the 7" touchscreen tablet. It ties in with connected services such as TomTom Traffic, for realtime traffic information, geolocation and price details for service stations and carparks, weather forecasts, and information on local points of interest. There's also an optional "danger zones" service that provides visual and audible warnings of accident black spots and dangers, in realtime. Car-driver interaction is enhanced by speech recognition for navigation, phone and media. functions
Mirror Screen technology duplicates the driver's smartphone screen directly on the vehicle's central screen. The driver can access to his multimedia content and monitor directly his smartphone from the digital screen. Available with Apple CarPlayTM, Android Auto (available early2017) and MirrorLink(R).
The reversing camera, with parking aids, switches on automatically when reverse gear is selected, to provide valuable extended-vision assistance during vehicle manoeuvres, in the form of a main-screen display of what's behind the car, along with colour markers indicating distance to any obstacles.
Hill-Start Assist helps with pullaway from standstill on gradients steeper than 3%, preventing unwanted vehicle motion down the slope when the brake pedal is released by stabilizing the car for two seconds.
Technologies for safety:
Lane Departure Warning System helps guard against driver drowsiness and momentary inattention, at speeds from 65 km/h. If the car crosses a lane marker line without the indicator having been activated, the system issues a visual and audible warning.
The Blind-Spot Monitoring System detects whether there is a vehicle in the blind spot, and shows this as a pictogram in the wing mirror. This system, which uses the same principle as a reversing radar, provides a valuable safety boost on routes such as urban motorways.
Driver Attention Alert warns the driver when it's time to take a break, i.e. after two hours' uninterrupted driving at speeds above 70 km/h, then every hour thereafter.
Utility services:
Citroën Connect Box with SOS Pack puts the driver in touch with a specialized assistance service. In the event of accident, a short message is sent in manual or automatic mode via GSM to a platform hosting the call processing service. The message includes vehicle identification, driver phone number and precise geographical location details.
Services available through Citroën Connect Packs, requiring the Citroën Connect Box with SOS Pack and assistance, come in three packs: the Monitoring pack (free), which includes a virtual service log and eco-driving advice; the Mapping pack (optional), for geolocating the vehicle; and the Tracking pack (optional), which maximizes the chance of finding a stolen vehicle. Pack subscriptions can be taken out at the dealership or online on the website MyCitroen.fr
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Length: 3.99 m
Width: 1.75 m
Height: 1.47 m
Wheelbase: 2.54 m
Boot volume: 300 l